COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF FOUR HERBAL DESENSITIZING TOOTHPASTE ON DENTINAL TUBULE OCCLUSION- A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE ANALYSIS

Abstract

Background: Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is a common clinical condition characterized by short, sharp pain arising from exposed dentin in response to thermal, tactile, osmotic, evaporative, or chemical stimuli. Occlusion of exposed dentinal tubules is considered one of the most effective approaches for reducing dentin hypersensitivity. Recently, herbal desensitizing toothpastes have gained popularity because of their natural ingredients and favorable safety profile. However, scientific evidence comparing commercially available herbal formulations remains limited. Aim: To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of four commercially available desensitizing toothpastes on dentinal tubule occlusion using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Materials and Methods: An in vitro experimental study was conducted on 52 freshly extracted human teeth. Standardized dentin specimens measuring approximately 5 × 5 × 3 mm were prepared, polished, and treated with 17% EDTA to remove the smear layer. The specimens were randomly allocated into four groups (n = 13): Group I – Himalaya Sensitive Toothpaste; Group II – Purexa Sensitive Toothpaste; Group III – Sensora Herbal Sensitivity Relief Toothpaste; and Group IV – Sensodyne Sensitive Toothpaste. Brushing was performed using a customized powered toothbrush for 2 minutes twice daily for 14 consecutive days. Following treatment, specimens were sputter coated with platinum and examined under SEM at ×2000 magnification. Dentinal tubules were categorized as completely occluded, partially occluded, or non-occluded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26.0. Since the data were not normally distributed (Shapiro–Wilk test), Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests were applied. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Group I demonstrated the highest mean number of completely occluded tubules (147.08 ± 65.62), followed by Group IV (135.92 ± 95.27), Group III (129.00 ± 93.07), and Group II (105.15 ± 51.32). However, the difference among groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.432). Group I also showed the highest mean number of partially occluded tubules (94.31 ± 49.40), while Group III exhibited the lowest mean number of non-occluded tubules (29.31 ± 23.82). No statistically significant differences were observed among the groups for partially occluded (p = 0.071) or non-occluded tubules (p = 0.386). Overall, all four toothpastes demonstrated comparable dentinal tubule occlusion. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this in vitro study, all four commercially available desensitizing toothpastes exhibited comparable efficacy in achieving dentinal tubule occlusion. Although numerical differences were observed, none reached statistical significance. The findings support the use of herbal-based desensitizing formulations as effective alternatives for managing dentin hypersensitivity through dentinal tubule occlusion.